Speed device and indicator.



M. R. HUTCHISON. SPEED DEVICE AND INDICATOR.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 8, 1909.

1,068, 1 34. Patented July 22, 1913.

INVENTOR BY W zza/flmmu iso'lv. a citizen of the United States, and a I; NI'TED s'ncras RUE CZEISC'N, 0F SUIVHVZIT, NEN JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO NT COMPANY, OF WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORA $301M C.. (c)?- Pl-XTENT O F'PICE.

S PEED DEVICE AND INDICATOR.

Specification of Original application filed August 24, 1908, Serial No. 450,059. Divided and this application filed November Serial No. 526,851.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MILLER Benson Huronresident of Summit, in the county of Union and the State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Speed Devices and Indicators, of which the following is a. specification.

My present invention is a division of my application No. 450,059, filed August 24, 1908, wherein the various features of my invention are set forth at length.

My present invention relates to devices of the above type intended for use on reversible shafts, especially where the work performed when the shaft is rotated in one direction is different in kind or degree from the work done when the shaft is reversed, or where the Work done by rotation in one direction tends to undo the work done by rotation in the other direction. A propeller shaft which normally drives the vessel forward but which tends to stop the vessel when reversed is a notable instance of such use. It is characteristic of my speed indicator that the movement of such a shaft is utilized to generate alternating pressures or currents which are used to produce indications. Such alternating pressures or currents have no directional characteristic whereby currents generated by rotation in one direction may be distin ished from those generated by rotation in the other direction, and equal speeds of the reversible propeller or other shaft in either direction will always produce equal indications upon a voltmeter or voltage operating device. Such being the case, an observer looking at the indicator would be informed upon the absence of any indication, or a Zero indication being given, that the operation of the shaft had ceased, but upon movement of the indicating means resulting from rotation of the shaft it would be impossible to t ll the direction of such shaft rotation. \Vhilc in some instances the operation above describcd is of slight importance, yet \vhcre the rotation of the shaft in one direction tends to undo the work per formed by rotation in the opposite direction,

and notably in the case of the propeller shaft of a vessel, such an operation of the indicating means is absolutely to be avoided. For 1 example, it is essential that the captain or pilot of a vessel equipped with an indicatr/i Letters Patent. Patented J 111 22, 1913.

rotation of the shaft for forward move-- ment. Moreover, it is also essential that it be possible to be informed of the presence or absene of forward rotation of the shaft by observation of a single indicating device, such as one comprising a single hand,pointer or other indicating means, and that an indication when given may be read and un derstood without the necessity for calculation based upon such indication. In such manner all possibility of error and confusion resulting from a false indication of forward shaft movement, irr possibility of wrong interpretation of an indication given is absolutely avoided. Should it be desired, operation of the indicating device for forward rotation of the shaft having been prevented upon reversal of the shaft, other indicating means may be provided whereby the reverse rotation of the shaft indicated.

My present invention has for its object the provision of certain improvements whereby directionless alternating energy is used to indicate direction, indicating mechanism being operated upon rotation of a reversible propeller or other shaft in one direction, and its operation being" prevented upon reversal of the shaft, without the use of a movable Contact in the circuit of lhc indicator, or the checking of the operati n of the'generator or the use of a movable index coil in the indicator. It also inciudcs improvements whereby a second indicating: mechanism may be operated in like manner upon said reverse rotation of the propeller or other shaft, the operation of said sec-uni 1 indicating mechanism being prevented upon the forward rotation of the shaft.

The above described principles of any ivention and the manner in which they m y be embodied in speed indicators will be more fullynmderstood from a detailed dcscrip tion thereof in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which like character: of reference denoting like piil'l's' are applu d as in the corresponding figures of the drawmgs of said application No. 450,059.

' drivenv in any suitable manner from the pro- 203 to energize the generators when in peller or other shaft 30 whose movements are to be indicated, and rotating about a stationary coil 4. This pair of generators is serially connected at 21, the inductors 4, 4 of ea-chbeing arranged for continuous equal movements, either forward or reverse, as by mounting on a counter shaft 152. One of the generators, as 40, has its inductor rigidly keyed to the counter shaft, while the other, as 41, has its inductor secured by means of a pin moving in a slot to permit of a circumferential slip through an angle of 90 degrees. Thus upon the rotation of the shaft 30, whose speed is to be indicated, in

one direction (the direction of rotation of inductors being as indicated by arrows in 40*, 41*) the generators are in exact phase, whereas rotation of the shaft in the opposite direction; accompanied by a circumferential slip through an angle of 90 degrees'of the inductor of 41, changes the phase of the alternating current produced thereby 180 derees with respect to the currents generated. m 40.

The operation of the device is as follows 2- Upon the o is to be in icated in one direction, or a forward operation, the generators 40 and 41 being in phase as indicated in the drawing, the voltages are super sed as indicated in Fig. 2 and are appli through circuit 202, field coils 26 27; As shown, I prefer to use an indicating instrument 10 of the reactive induction type in which there is no movable coil, the index 50 being operated b the reaction of the currents from the fie d coils on a movable body of metal connected to or forming an extension 'of the index. The fluctuation of the index thus produced by the voltages of the speeds of rotation o the shaft. Upon the reversal of the shaft the generators will be thrown out of phase, and the voltages in the circuit 202-, 203, being then neutralized, as indicatedin Fig. 3, the index 50 returns to zero, its operation to indicate forward speeds upon reverse rotation of the shaft being prevented. In like manner, a second pair of generators 40" and 41 electrically independent of the generators 40 and 41, and energizing a second indicator ration of the shaft whose speed phase denotes forward through circuit 205', 206 may be arranged, with the inductor of one generator as 41", mounted for a circumferential slip through an angle of 90 degrees in a direction opposite to the slip of the inductor of generator 41. In this manner the generator 40 and 41 will be out of phase upon forward rotation of the shaft whose speed isto beindicated, and the second indicator 10 will be inoperative on suchforward rotation. Upon reverse rotation of the shaft whose speed is to be indicated the generators 40' and 41 will be in phase and the index 50 of the second indicator will fluctuate to denote speeds of reversed rotation. Thus I am able to indicate speeds of forward rotation of a propeller or other shaft on one indicating instrument and to prevent false indications upon reversal of the shaft, and may also indicate speeds of reverse rotation and prevent false indications of such reverse rotation upon forward rotation. Moreover, such objects are accomplished without the use of movable switches or movable index coils, or the checking of the operation of the generators producing the alternating voltages or currents. The indicators are calibrated in any desired manner. I While I haveherein fully shown and described, and have pointed out in the apr pended claims certain novel features of construction, arrangement and operationwhich characterize my invention, it will be under stood bv those skilled in the art that various omissions, substitutions and changes in the 100 forms, proportions, sizes and details of the device and of its operation may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim 1. A reversible power shaft in combination with two generators for generating electrical pressures of alternating direction, connections from the shaft to said generatrrs for causing said generators to be 110 driven at speeds varying in definite ratio with the speeds of the power shaft, a voltage operated indicator having a movable member and a scale calibrated to give indications proportional shaft in one direction by deflection of said movable member, said generators "bein connected to generate currents in'a certaiii phase relation when driven in said direction,

connections from said generators to said in-' .120

10 Fel ctrical pressures of alternating direction, 13(1 to speeds of said power" n5 w'mne tiens from the iiill t to said generators for r using said generators to be driven :11 speeds"varying lll definite ratio with the weeds of the power shaft. a voltage operated indicator having a movable member and a =cale calibrated to give indications hroportioml to speeds of said power shaft in one direction by deflection of said movable member, said generators being in circuit wi h said indicator and being arranged to generate pressures in phase to operate said movable member upon rotation of the shaft in said direction. and said connections being such as to prevent false indications of speeds in said direction by the movable member when the direction of rotation of the power sha ftis reversed adapted by causing the generamrs to generate pressures out of phase upon such reversal.

3, A reversible power shaft in combination ith two generators for generating elec trical preemies of alternating direction, conllt'ct Ulb from the-shaft to said generators for causing the generators to be driven at steeds varying in definite ratio with the spe ds of the power shaft, a voltage operated indicator having a movable member and a s alecalibratedto give indications pr portional to speeds of said power shaft rn YiflQJliiL'flOIl by deflection of said movable men'ib r. said generators being in circuit with said indicator and aeing arranged to generate pressures in one phase relation to operate said movable member upon rotaton of LllQ shaft in said direction, and ran; HmTECiiOnS being such as to prevent "nlse indications of speeds in said direction y 1h:- iuovable member when the direction of rotation of the power shaft is reversed by peimitting circumferential slip of the ndnctor of one generator to cause the gencraters to generate pressures in another phase relation upon said reversal.

t. 5 reversible pov er shaft in combination with tno se s of indicating apparatus, mm comprising, two generators for generating er-trieal p essures of alternating direc ai n. c nnections from the shaft to said gent for causing said generators to be h-Aeu at speeds varying in definite ratio "4h ihspeeds of the power shaft. and a voltage operaled indicator havirg a movn e :n nber and a scale calibrated to give ill-lif 'li flnr proportional to speeds of said ower raft in one direction by deflection of mlvi movable member, the generators of a 1 wt of indicating apparatus being in iuw with the ind cator of said set and. b 11L, adapted to be thrown into and out of n ,redetermined phase relation one with Elw o'h the generat rs of one set, upon oiatun of the shaft in said direction, bemg in on predetermined phase relation to cause th movable member of the indicator of that set then to be operated, and the generators of the other set, upon rotation of the shaft in said direction, being then out of their predetermined phase relation to prevent operation of the movable member of the indicator of the second set, and said connections being such as to prevent false indications of speed in said direction. by said first indicator when the direction of retation of the power shaft is reversed.

5. A reversible power shaft in combination with two sets of indicating apparatus, each comprising two generators for generating electrical pressures of alternating direction, oonnections from the shaft to said generators for causing said generators to be driven at speeds varying in definite ratio with the speeds of the power shaft, and a voltage operated indicator having a movable member and a scale calibrated to give indications proportional to speeds of said ower shaft in one direction by deflection 0 said movable member, the generators of each set of indicating apparatus being in circuit with the indicator of said set and being adapted to be thrown. into and out of phase with each other, the generators of one set being in phase with one another, upon rotation of the shaft in said direction, to cause the movable member of the indicator of that set then to be operated, and the generators of the second set upon rotation of the shaft in said direction being then out of phase to prevent false indications the movable member of the second indicator, and said connections being such as to prevent false indications of speed in said direction by the movable member of the first indicator, when the direction of rotation of the power shaft is reversed, by causing the generators of said first set to generate pressures out of phase upon said reversal.

6. A reversible power shaft in combination with two sets of indicating apparatus, each comprising two generators for generating electrical pressures of alternating direction, connections from the shaft to said generators for causing said generators to be driven at speeds varyingin definite ratio with the speeds of the power shaft, and a voltage operated indicator having a movable member and a scale calibrated to give indications proportional to speeds of said pow er shaft in one direction by deflection of said movable member, the generators of each set of indicating apparatus being in circuit with the indicator of said set and being adapted to be thrown into and out of phase with each other, the generators of one set being in phase with one anotl'rer. upon rotation of The shaft in said direction, to came the movable member of the indicator of that set then to. be operated, and the generat'u-s of the sec ond set upon rotation of tin shaft in suul direction being then out of phase to prewut false indications by the movable mem er of i msammwm-rwwa is -ing electrical pressures of alternating direction, connections from the shaft to said generators for causlng said generators to be driven at speeds varying in definite ratio with the speeds of the power shaft, and a v voltage operated indicator having a movable member and a scale calibrated to give indications proportional to speeds of said power shaft in my, direction by deflection of said movable member, the generators of each set of indicating apparatus being in circuit with the indicator of said set and being adapted to be thrown into and out of phase with ea eh other, the generators df one set being in phase \iith one another, upon rotation of the shaft in said direction, to cause the movable member of the indicator of that set then to be operated, and the; enerators of the second set upon rotation o the shaft in Said direction bein then out of phase to prevent false indications-by the movable member of the second indicator, said connections being such as to prevent false indications of speed in said direction by the movable member of the first indicator, when the direction of rotation of the power shaft is reversed, by causing the generators of said first set to generate pressures out of phase upon said reversal, and said connections alsobeing such as to cause operation of said second in- (hcator upon said reversal by causing the MILLER REESE HUTomsoN.

Witnesses:

GEORGE C. DEAN, IRVING M. OBRIEGHT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

. in the county 

